Audi Communications Brussels Site Communications Sites Communications Andreas Cremer Sabrina Kolb Phone: +32 2 348-2402 Phone: +49 841 89-42048 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] www.audi-mediacenter.com March 2019 BASIC PRESS INFORMATION AUDI BRUSSELS S.A./N.V. ► The Brussels site 2 ► Employees in the spotlight 3 ► Production on the road to electric mobility 4 ► Automotive Park logistics and supplier center 5 ► Sustainability and environmental protection 5 ► History of the site 6 ► Facts and figures 8 ► Fuel consumption of the models cited and currently available on the market* 9 1/9 www.audi-mediacenter.com Audi Communications ► The Brussels site Launch into the future: Since fall 2018, Audi Brussels has exclusively been producing the first fully electric SUV from the brand with the four rings for the world market. Volume production of the Audi e-tron* began on September 3, 2018. Audi has established numerous competencies in the company for the Audi e-tron and has developed both the battery technology and the drive by itself. Employees have replanned and implemented many production steps in production. Since summer 2016, the plant has comprehensively remodeled the body shop, paint shop and assembly shop step by step and has established its own battery manufacturing facility. Automated guided vehicles bring the battery of the electric car “just in sequence” to the assembly line. The employees in Brussels received a total of over 200,000 hours of training for the first fully electric Audi and are therefore perfectly prepared for the production of the Audi e-tron. The Brussels plant is the first in the world with certified carbon-neutral volume production in the premium segment. Audi Brussels compensates for all emissions that occur during production and at the location. This takes place predominantly through renewable energy but also through environmental projects. On August 1, 2018, the last Audi A1* of the first generation rolled off production line in Brussels. Since May 2010, a total of just under 910,000 units of the Audi A1 have been produced in Brussels. The successor model to the Audi A1 will be built in Martorell, Spain. With the plant in Brussels, Audi is the only car manufacturer with a production location in the heart of Europe. Close to the European Parliament, the Brussels site offers ideal conditions for the production of strategically important models of the Audi family. The success factors of Audi Brussels are the highly qualified and experienced workforce, easy access to highways and rail transport, and good relations with the institutions based in the city. Audi Brussels is actively involved in the dialog with international, national and regional authorities. The plant in Brussels will turn 70 this year. On April 7, 1949, the first vehicle rolled off the production line there. The Audi A1 was the first model in the plant’s 70-year history to be produced exclusively in the European capital. Before the plant was taken over by AUDI AG in 2007, it had belonged to Volkswagen AG since 1970, producing various models of the Volkswagen Group. Since belonging to AUDI AG, the Brussels facility has assumed an important role in the Audi Group, and it now employs around 3,000 people. The start of production of the 2/9 www.audi-mediacenter.com Audi Communications Audi A1 in 2010 marked the beginning of a new era. Audi Brussels expanded its production in 2011 with the addition of the Audi A1 Sportback* and in 2014 with the Audi S1* and Audi S1 Sportback*. In 2012, Audi Brussels produced the Audi A1 quattro as a special limited- edition model. The Audi e-tron is the first fully electric series production model from the brand with the four rings. From 0 to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds, a range of more than 400 kilometers in the WLTP driving cycle, no local emissions – the sporty SUV combines the space and comfort of a typical full-size class automobile with a range that is suitable for everyday usability. With the electric all-wheel drive, this catapults the driver into a new era. Its two electric motors produce up to 300 kW and combine with the electric all-wheel drive to deliver optimum performance on any terrain. A comprehensive range of charging options for at home and on the go make electric driving convenient and effortless. Forward-looking, innovative and electric – the next step into the future. The start of production for the Audi e-tron Sportback will follow this year. In addition to good collaboration with the trade unions, Audi also invests in education and training. As a result, Audi Brussels maintains cooperation agreements with the partner schools “GO! TA Halle” and “Don Bosco Woluwé Saint-Pierre.” Audi Brussels started offering factory tours in June 2010. Approximately 15,000 visitors experienced production of the Audi A1 up close each year. Because of remodeling for the Audi e-tron, factory tours occasionally had to be suspended. As of 2019, factory visits are taking place once again. For the first time, interested guests can take a look behind the scenes of the production of the Audi e-tron*. ► Employees in the spotlight Audi Brussels currently employs 2,756 employees (as of December 31, 2018), Of these employees, 940 work in production-related areas, while 1,816 employees work directly in production. With an average age of 44.7 years, the employees have worked an average of 18.6 years at Audi Brussels. The three working languages are French, Dutch and German. Audi Brussels focuses on the employees, which the plant’s own health center shows. It offers a prevention program for the entire workforce: the Audi Check-Up. Experienced nurses and doctors work to maintain and improve the employees’ health and help to recognize any risk factors at an early stage and to counteract them. Audi Brussels is one of the few companies in Belgium that offer this service. 3/9 www.audi-mediacenter.com Audi Communications Audi Brussels cooperates closely with the trade unions. In a letter of intent from 2007, management and the trade unions jointly defined the framework conditions for good cooperation. One important component is the working time account system used at Audi Brussels since 2010. It offers the company and its employees much more flexibility. Dual education allows the students of the two partner schools to complete part of their training on location at the company. Here, Audi Brussels cooperates with the Flemish school “GO! TA Halle” and the francophone school “Don Bosco Woluwé Saint-Pierre.” The project gives students the opportunity to gain more practical experience during their training. Another goal is to convince more young people in Belgium to choose an attractive technical apprenticeship. In December, Audi Brussels was awarded the “Diversity Label 2018” of the Brussels-Capital Region. The award, which was started in 2008 by the Brussels employment office supports companies in the fight against discrimination. To obtain the Label, Audi Brussels developed a “diversity plan” and implemented it. ► Production on the road to electric mobility Audi has secured important production capacities for its ongoing growth with the plant in Brussels. With the intention of developing the Brussels plant further into a key component of the Audi production network, Audi has optimized the plant’s processes in accordance with the Audi Production System (APS). Major features of the APS are group work and continuous improvement processes. To improve the process chains, Audi has closely integrated the external suppliers and service providers into the production process. Short throughput times in production, low inventories and a high proportion of added value are the objectives on which Audi Brussels focuses. In addition to a body shop, assembly shop and paint shop, Audi Brussels also has a modern Analysis and Pre-Series Center. This links the areas of Production and Technical Development, ensuring the high quality of the Audi e-tron*. The Brussels site also has its own battery manufacturing facility to support production of the battery-electric SUV. This makes it the key plant for electric mobility within the Audi Group. 4/9 www.audi-mediacenter.com Audi Communications ► Automotive Park logistics and supplier center Automotive Park, the state-of-the-art logistics and supplier center, is connected with the assembly shops by a bridge. It provides the infrastructure for efficient processes in the supply of materials to the Brussels plant. Every day, trucks and trains deliver 3,000 parts and components from 675 suppliers. Close integration of external suppliers with the plant’s internal logistics processes boosts productivity on a sustained basis. ► Sustainability and environmental protection At Audi, environmental protection is part of the corporate strategy. This applies to technology as well as to the production processes. The most stringent of environmental standards are applied at the Audi Brussels site. In 2013, the Brussels region recognized the plant as an “eco-dynamic company” – a regional environmental certification that is awarded every three years. Audi Brussels was awarded the highest rating of three stars. Since 2001, the Brussels site has also been certified according to the environmental audit of the European Commission (EMAS: Eco-Management and Audit Scheme). Audi Brussels installed a photovoltaic system with a total area of 37,000 square meters at the site. As a result, Audi Brussels operates the largest photovoltaic system in Brussels and generates more than 3,000 megawatt hours of electricity per year and saves around 700 metric tons of CO2. In late 2016, the plant received the Business Award from the weekly magazine Trends. Audi Brussels was chosen as Belgium’s most ecological company.